Zero Food Waste Environmental Initiative Wins National Golf Course Owners Association “Business Idea Of The Year”

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“Mark Glickman and Jonny Dubowsky have an uncanny intuition for practical and high impact sustainability programs, which they couple with creative, authentic communications to add value,” said Damon DeVito, Managing Partner of Affinity Management.

Charlottesville, VA (PRWEB) June 19, 2012

The Greener Planet Group Inc., http://www.greenerplanetgroup.com, a sustainability consultancy based in Charlottesville, Virginia, won the Best “Business Idea of the Year” honor at the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCO) annual conference in Las Vegas, for its turn-key, sustainable Zero Food Waste Bokashi composting program. The innovative program was first initiated and implemented at the Musket Ridge Golf Club in Frederick, Maryland in 2011. Damon DeVito of Affinity Management, the management company for Musket Ridge, accepted the award.

With underwriting from major corporate sponsors, the Greener Planet Group has developed a turnkey environmental platform that delivers cost savings, positive publicity, new business, new events and new energy for golf courses and clubs, wedding and banquet venues, restaurants, schools, hospitals, military bases and other businesses that generate substantial food waste.

In March 2011, Greener Planet Group helped Musket Ridge became the first golf course and wedding venue in the country to commit to a Zero Food Waste initiative utilizing Bokashi to divert four tons of food waste from landfills to an on-site organic garden (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyAWInhsnh4). In addition to generating cost savings, the promotion produced national publicity and record business for the golf course, restaurant and wedding and banquet facility.

DeVito and Affinity were so pleased with the positive impact and results the Greener Planet Group’s environmental platform generated for Musket Ridge, that they made the decision to implement their program at other clubs, which they own and operate. Greener Planet Group recently helped Ferncroft become the first country club in the United States to implement a zero food waste initiative. Greener Planet Group also worked together with Stoneleigh to help them become the first private club in the Mid-Atlantic to launch a zero food waste initiative.

Bokashi is a composting method originated from Asian cultures that uses fermentation to break down all food scraps – including meat, dairy and oils, in less than half the time of conventional composting while minimizing unpleasant odors and deterring pests. The end product, a natural fertilizer, is utilized on new organic vegetable and herb garden created at the clubs, by the Greener Planet Group and whose produce is featured as part of their restaurants menu options. The Greener Planet Group also installs rain barrels to irrigate the gardens.

As part of their turnkey sustainability platform, The Greener Planet Group also partners with Rock n’ Renew Foundation, http://www.rocknrenew.com, to sponsor a Rock n’ Renew environmental program for local schools, which includes helping the school build its own herb and vegetable garden. The promotion culminates with the students harvesting their school garden and bringing their herbs and vegetables to the golf club’s kitchen where the chef conducts a healthy cooking class.

The Greener Planet Group is led by Mark Glickman, one of the country’s most respected marketing and public relations consultants and national speaker on green marketing and Jonny Dubowsky, founder and director of the Rock ‘n Renew Foundation, a non-profit organization comprised of rock musicians who use music to teach environmental education in over 250 schools across the country.

According to Damon DeVito of Affinity Management, “Mark and Jonny have an uncanny intuition for practical and high impact sustainability programs, which they couple with creative, authentic communications to add value.”

Glickman and Dubowsky are also partners in Kama 'Aina Earth Products, http://www.greenerplanetgroup.com, on The Big Island of Hawai'i where the two first worked together several years ago. Kama 'Aina Earth Products closes the loop on their environmental business offerings as the just launched start-up makes a range of soil amendments, composts and other earth products that bring the vitality of the Hawai'ian islands into products that can be used in a home garden or farm.

Greener Planet Group is supported by a network of respected environmental partners, patrons, scientists, thought leaders, industry representatives and major organizations such as the NRDC, True Offsets, Rock ‘n Renew Foundation and others who are prepared to assist in providing expertise and assistance in all sectors and environmental issues.

For more information, please contact Mark Glickman at 434-774-8350 or markglickman(at)gmail(dot)com.

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